Internal Search for the Vice President for Faculty Affairs and Engagement

Vice President for Faculty Affairs & Engagement

Position Summary

The Vice President for Faculty Affairs & Engagement (VPFAE) is the University’s executive leader responsible for matters related to the faculty lifecycle, academic personnel policy, faculty success, and centralized engagement on student-affairs–related policies and practices. Reporting directly to the EVPAA, the VP for Faculty Affairs and Engagement serves as the institution’s leader on faculty affairs, providing strategic vision, university-wide leadership, and operational oversight to ensure a thriving academic community.

The VPFAE oversees the Office of Faculty Affairs and Engagement and the professional staff who support faculty appointments, promotions, academic leadership development, faculty human resources, and initiatives related to shared governance, policy development, and faculty engagement. The role partners extensively with deans, department chairs, faculty governance bodies, student affairs leaders, and academic administrators to strengthen the academic enterprise and advance University goals.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Executive Oversight

• Provide institutional leadership on matters related to faculty affairs, faculty engagement, academic leadership development and academic personnel policy.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the staff of the Office of Faculty Affairs and Engagement; set strategic priorities and ensure alignment with the University’s mission and academic goals.
• Serve as a centralized resource for policy interpretation, best practices, and academic guidance related to student affairs functions across the University.

Faculty Lifecycle, Policy, and Governance

• Oversee all aspects of the faculty lifecycle, from recruitment and appointment to review, promotion, retention, and retirement.
• Develop, revise, and implement academic personnel policies that promote faculty success and development.
• Create and sustain communication channels to keep faculty and academic administrators informed about policies, practices, and issues critical to faculty success.

Faculty Success, Development, & Engagement

• Advance institutional strategies for recruiting, retaining, and supporting the faculty.
• Design and implement programs, guidance, and initiatives that foster professional development, faculty wellbeing, and academic excellence.
• Collaborate with academic and administrative units to offer academic leadership training opportunities and structured pathways for faculty aspiring to administrative roles.
• Partner with academic units to clarify and support pathways from associate to full professor for tenure track faculty.
• Support administrative leaders and department chairs by offering resources, guidance, and training to ensure consistent, effective academic leadership practices.

University Engagement & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Student Affairs and related units to ensure alignment and clarity around academic policies, student support expectations, and best practices that enhance the student academic experience.
• Work collaboratively across CLUs and administrative units to ensure coherence, compliance, and excellence in academic personnel practices.
• Establish and support stakeholder groups to develop, review, and implement policies and practices that advance faculty and academic success.

Service to the Academic Community

• Ensure that the Office of Faculty Affairs and Engagement serves as a responsive, expert resource to faculty, administrators, and students.
• Promote institutional mission attainment by strengthening faculty engagement, productivity, leadership, and governance.

Qualifications

• Tenured faculty member
• Have experience in academic administration, faculty affairs, academic personnel policy, or a related area
• Demonstrated record of collaborative leadership, shared governance engagement, and commitment to faculty advancement and success.
• Proven ability to lead complex teams, manage university-wide initiatives, and operate effectively in a large, complex university system.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.

Download the Vice President for Faculty Affairs & Engagement Position Description [PDF]

Qualified candidates must be a tenured Rutgers faculty member. Interested faculty may find the position posting and application instructions on Rutgers' Employment Opportunities website.